On the Threshold: Ambiguities, Differences, Intersections in Simone de Beauvoir's Oeuvre

On the Threshold: Ambiguities, Differences, Intersections in Simone de Beauvoir's Oeuvre

November 22−24, 2018, University of Latvia, Riga

The international conference On the Threshold: Ambiguities, Differences, Intersections in Simone de Beauvoir's Oeuvre is dedicated to the 110th anniversary of Simone de Beauvoir’s birth. It is hosted by the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology and the Faculty of Philosophy and History, University of Latvia.

Simone de Beauvoir refused to be called a philosopher. She did not identify herself as a feminist either, at least not initially. None of these disclaimers hold true today since not only is Beauvoir credited as one of the founders of modern feminist theory but also regarded as an original and highly influential philosopher. Her philosophical legacy has proved to be a rich and fertile ground for academic study and has invited reflections on the philosophical enterprise itself. However, the contemporary reception of Beauvoir’s writings transcends narrowly defined disciplinary borders − e.g., philosophy, literature, auto/biography studies, feminist theories. The conference On the Threshold: Ambiguities, Differences, Intersections in Simone de Beauvoir's Oeuvre seeks to reveal the extensive and multifaceted nature of the issues that Simone de Beauvoir tackled in her creative and political life. We welcome scholars with various academic backgrounds to share their research interests, insights, and passions. We hope to open up an interdisciplinary (and intersubjective) space for thinking and rethinking questions whose importance Simone de Beauvoir has brought to light.